Ever since I discovered the beauty of the Abbey Church of Our Lady of Montserrat, I have made it my personal goal to know more about the unassuming structure and its adjacent abbey either through internet research or frequent visits. Because I want to write about the abbey for a society magazine, I decided to book an interview with one of the Benedictine monks through my good friend, Benedict (what a coincidence noh?).

Last Monday, I was able to interview Dom Maurus Cuachon, OSB about the history and activities of the Abbey Church of Our Lady of Montserrat, or more commonly known as San Beda Church. The abbey church is not a parish church and serves a dual purpose: it is the college chapel of the Colegio de San Beda and also, the abbey church of the Benedictine community that resides in the abbey adjacent the church.

Dom Maurus graciously gave me a very rare opportunity to enter the cloister of the monks, and it was, I must honestly admit, a most edifying experience. It was a sigh of relief when I entered the cloister: the silence, the muted splendor and the obvious effort to maintain harmony and beauty were all stark, different realities from the realities of Mendiola and the rest of Manila’s mean streets. Some of the things I saw were flamboyant iron door knobs, a drinking fountain with Spanish tiles decorating it, and a statue of the Good Shepherd proudly standing at the garden.

The refectory was exquisitely appointed with hardwood tables and chairs. At the middle is a podium where readings are read during meal times. The hall is adorned with different coats-of-arms of the different Benedictine communities. The entire space is well-ventilated and well-lit because of the huge windows that let light and air freely flow inside. I was told that the reason it’s relatively big is because at one point in the history of the abbey, around the 1950s, there were close to 100 monks living in the abbey. Now they just number at around 30.

Then we headed to the Chapter Room, a magnificent room artistically designed not only to please the senses but to really, lead one to prayer, silence and contemplation. Dom Maurus told me that the Benedictine community once had an abbot named Dom Celestine Gusi, OSB, a Spaniard who had aristocratic taste. He wanted the Mendiola abbey to be at par with the great monastic abbeys of Montserrat, Subiaco and Monte Cassino, and thus, made sure that the entire place not only exude the severity always associated with the monastic life, but also beauty, harmony and heritage, things that definitely edify the soul.

The Chapter Room’s altar is colorful, decorated with mosaic, and is found below a simple baldacchino. A two-sided cross is found hanging from the baldacchino. The corpus of Jesus at the front, and the body of Mary at the back of this crucifix are made of ivory. Beside the altar is the statue of Our Lady of Montserrat, an original statue brought by the first Benedictines to the Philippines who arrived in 1895. The one that sits in the abbey church is just a replica of the one found inside the Chapter Room.

A tapestry by a Jewish artist is hung at the back of the altar, and it is a piece of art that relays the story of Creation. Long benches or pews for the monks are embellished with gold paint while Latin inscriptions surround the chapter room’s ceiling.

Then, I was brought to the Sacristy, an exemplary sacristy. Vestments from the 1940s were shown to me, and they are still in top, usable quality. The impressive vestries can obviously be thought of being made of the finest hardwood, and indeed they are (narra). Dom Maurus also indulged me and showed me a Ramon Orlina chalice given by the famous artist to a Benedictine friend of his. In one corner of the sacristy I saw the reliquary cabinet. It is a cabinet filled with different saints’ relics. It is only brought out during Solemn Professions when monks are accepted entry into the abbey. I believe I was told that the said cabinet is opened during the Rites when the Litany of the Saints would be sung.

Finally, I was led to a small garden at the back of the church. I knew immediately what it was when I saw an angel – it was the monks’ final resting place. In small niches, the monks’ remains are kept in a small cemetery just behind the abbey church. Many of those burried are the Spanish pioneer Benedictines who were first interred in La Loma, the traditional cemetery of the old Catholic religious orders of the Philippines. Some of those who are interred in San Beda’s grave for monks are Lesmes Lopez, OSB, the principal painter of the Abbey Church, and the renowned architect and cultural heritage advocate, Dom Bernardo Ma. Perez, OSB.

The experience though did not finish in the cemetery. I was finally brought by my host to see what was under the tabernacle veil that hides the tabernacle.

The tabernacle is a must-see item. Made in the Gothic tradition and given by a monk’s family from Spain, the tabernacle is made of brass, mounted on a slab of black marble and supported by four ivory legs. It is embellished with topaz and amethyst and other semiprecious stones. However, it’s main feature would be its enamel frontal. The frontal image of the tabernacle is by far the best I have seen. It is, however, threatened by age and soot and the Benedictines are still looking for someone abroad who would know know ho to treat the enamel of their precious tabernacle. As of now, they cannot find anyone else in the country who knows how to deal with enamel.

If you have the time, visit San Beda Abbey and make sure to go there during Liturgical celebrations. They have the best liturgies in town especially during Holy Week. I think that the beauty and heritage of the church enable the monks to celebrate their liturgies not only in a more solemn way but also, in a more beautiful way, one that is inspiring, poetic and loyal to the prescribed texts.

Many parish priests throughout the country have destroyed the faith and piety of people because the priests especially after Vatican II destroyed many elements of churches without considering the long-term effects of their actions. Some completely removed the beautiful santos, retablos, altar rails, stained glass windows for the sake of “simplicity”. Many have been ignorant, and many still remain ignorant about how the Church should stop being too narrow-minded and just focus on what really matters. The Benedictines through their notable abbey and their well-celebrated liturgies should be commended for keeping the people’s celebrations solemn, beautiful and steeped in tradition and meaning. This holy week, try to visit that quiet space that not only silences the senses but also lifts the soul.

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About hechoayer

Things made yesterday still influence us until today. Things made today will influence us tomorrow. Things of the essence such as faith, culture, food, music and values should never disappear nor eroded by the times. Instead, these must be recorded, lived and shared. Something made yesterday - hecho ayer - can be tomorrow's saving grace. Never ignore the past.

I read an article from the INQUIRER about the ABBEY and was inspired by the story of DOM GIOVANNI SANNA and GANG GOMEZ…I am a naturalized AMERICAN CITIZEN who has retired from my work at the SUPERIOR COURT of CALIFORNIA in the UNITED STATES….I am in Manila right now and one of my objectives after retiring is to be able to
enter a MONASTERY and be able to serve the LORD for the rest of my LIFE. I hope that you can assist me in this endeavor and I look forward to your reply as to how I can go about this plan. Will be very GRATEFUL to receive your advice on any development pertinent to my request. THANK YOU

Hi Bernardo. You may call the abbey to inquire on how you can best serve their apostolate. Being a monk is a divine calling and must be discerned carefully. You may visit them too at their Abbey at Mendiola, Manila. Their telephone is (02) 735-5992. Laudetur Iesus Christus.

Hello, Hechoayer. Thank you for your postings about the churches. The imagery is beautiful. I also saw your posting on the Eurcharistic Congress of 1937 and would like to use one or two photos in St. Bridget College’s centennial coffee table book. How may I obtain permission to use the photos please? Thank you and God bless you.

Hello hechoayer! Glad to have stumbled upon your blog while searching for “interesting” churches in Manila to add to my final output for a grad school subject. Was wondering, since you scheduled a interview/tour with a Benedictine monk, then that would only mean they don’t allow walk-in/the public to just enter the abbe, right?

This post is really interesting. You’ve seen more of the Abbey than I did during the orientation in my first year of teaching at San Beda. You got great photos, too. I suggest you place watermarks on them in case others copy them. 🙂

To clean enamels (the real ones), it is enough some soapy water, or simply with alcohol because these are glass paste. The problem lies on the tabermacle itself: I guess this is gilded o still worse, gold leaf on wood. If you use soap or alcohol, you will remove the gold (you will dissolve the glue). This is specially true if the gold has been fixed with water: it will be removed completedly if you use water. If the gold has been fixed using a fatty solution, you can use water, but not alcohol.
I think these good fathers are right being cautious. They should go to a professional.
Given the massive loss of art works in Filipinas due to earthquakes, wars, revolutions, Vatican II… wouldn´t it be better to take extra care of what it is still left?. I do not think that in USA they can find a professional, but they can in Europe. Mind you, perhaps they can find through their congragation (casinense ) a benedictin or a benedictine who can do this work at a special price (the Filipinas national airlines could aid with a free transportation).

That was a very inspiring experience that you shared.
In the late 50s up to the early 60s, my father and I visit this place (San Beda Monastery) weekly to to deliver fresh vegetable from Baguio City. The vegetables were provided by his elder sister, my aunt (Damasa Gaetos Aguilar, a vegetable merchant from Baguio City). Even at that time of my childhood, I already experienced the serenity of the place. Before we leave the place we were always provided by freshly brewed coffee. Those weekly visits, I will never forget. ….Arsenio Gaetos

I grew up here. it’s nice to be reminded of the beauty of the place, which even in my growing years we cannot take it for granted. We always felt “holy-er” every time we had our regular masses. And yes, itis a beautiful place to experience silence in this busy world.

Time was when the surrounding communities of San Beda subdivision, Holy Spirit, La Consolacion and Centro Escolar marked 9 pm every night as the end of day to the strains of SALVE REGINA sung in Gregorian chant by the monks (80 strong in two lines) in front of our Lady’s portrait (photo #4).

The short answer, Venerable Bede was the renowned scholar-historian of the English people. He lived 672 AD to 735 AD. He was a monk of the Benedictine monastery at Jarrow, England. Venerable Bede is also a canonized saint of the Catholic Church.